Supplementation of grass hay with groundnut haulm and sorghum bran substituting cottonseed cake

Abstract

The effect of using groundnut haulm and sorghum bran as supplements to native hay and their 
substitution to cottonseed cake was investigated. Thirty rams were used in a 5X6 random design, 
with five animals per treatment. The animals were 1.0 – 1.5 year in age and 34.0 – 35.1 kg in 
weight. The experiment lasted for 75 days. The digestion of all nutrients was depressed when 
cottonseed cake, groundnut haulm and sorghum bran were added individually or in combination 
to native hay. Sorghum bran significantly (p < 0.01) depressed protein digestibility while all the 
supplements, with the exception of groundnut haulm, significantly • (p < 0.01) depressed fibre 
digestibility. Groundnut haulm improved fibre digestibility when combined to both cottonseed 
cake and sorghum bran in one supplement. All supplements significantly (p < 0.05) increased 
total dry matter intake while they significantly (p < 0.01) depressed native hay intake. The daily 
gain and feed efficiency were all improved by supplementation. The cost of supplementation was 
clearly reduced when sorghum bran and groundnut haulm were added to cottonseed cake.